A fiery horse with a sheet of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. Faithful Indian companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains, led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. Nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver. Let's go, recall. Are you still there? Dan Morton, owner of the Red Arrow Freight Company, sat hunched over his desk looking at a balance sheet while Red Ellis, his friend and road boss, explained the details of a new job they were working on. Dan, I figure on having the wagons loaded in the next hour so we can start the first thing in the morning. Fifty wagons and 220 mules. What route are you taking? Well, our contract with the mining people gives us just a week to make delivery. I'll take this short way over the hills. I can make it in five days. I don't like that, Red. That's bad country. Since when has the prospect of a little trouble gotten under your dried-up hide? Well, I can remember the days when we took two wagons across the hills and dared anyone to stop us. Well, those days were different, Red. If we lost a wagon then, we could always get another to replace it. Now I've got every cent I can beg or borrow tied up in those 50 carts out there. Something happens to this train, I'm wiped out. Who's that outside? It sounds to me like Steve Hobart. And if it is, boss, our troubles are starting as of right now. It is. Well, Steve, this is a surprise. So this is your office. It is. What's your business, Steve? You underbid us on that load of mining machinery, Morton. I came here to tell you I don't like it. We bid for that job and got it because our price was lower than yours. If you don't like it, there's nothing I can do about it. Now look here, Morton. I put up with you as long as you stuck to the small halls that I didn't want. Now you're stepping out of your class and I'm not going to stand for it. No? Well, there's not much you can do about it. I'm telling you straight. There's room for only one freight outfit in this territory and my inland freight is it. Well, you'd better turn that contract over to me and stay in your own class. I can't talk for Dan, but if I was him, I'd toss you right out of here. Well, hold it, Red. This is a free country, Hobart. As long as I can get hauling contracts, I'm going to take them. That machinery is being loaded now and goes out in the morning. You try it, Morton. Just remember, I gave you a chance. And don't come begging to me when you're broke. You're at the hotel for the next couple of hours, Morton, in case you change your mind. You got my answer. Well, it's your funeral. You should have let me take him apart, Dan. I was just aching to find out which part of his skull was brain and which part was just plain meanness. Hobart is going to do his best to see that we don't reach Little Creek. All the more reason why I should have licked him. That wouldn't have done any good. Hobart runs a big outfit. He's got plenty of men and money to do whatever he wants. If he's out to get us, we'll be up against it plenty this trip. Now, wait a minute. You said we. What's that mean? I'm going with you. We're not going to wait until morning. Get the boys together, Red. We're starting out tonight. Steve Hobart waited at the hotel as he had promised, but he wasn't idle. He and his right-hand man, Bob Emery, were busily engaged in working out certain plans. Well, what's making all that noise? I'll see. Hey, Steve. We're in the winter for a minute, Bob. Yeah, what's up? Plenty. What's going on out there? That's Morton's wagon train. What's so funny? I thought you said they were pulling out in the morning. Oh, I didn't say that. Told you Morton said he was starting in the morning. What's the difference? I knew they'd pull out early to try to steal a march on me. I'm leaving for Little Creek first thing tomorrow morning to take care of things up there. I want you to make the arrangements at this end and then come up there. What do I do? Pick up a couple of the boys down at the office in the morning. Lend Polk is in. Give the job to him. He'll know how to handle it. And tell him to trail the wagon train. Over a hard-packed road? You don't even know which route they're taking. The best track in the world couldn't follow them if they get an all-night ride. Now, hold your horses. I've got three men planted on that wagon train. They'll leave a trail for the boys to follow. That's different. Now, see here on this map. There's only two ways to reach them a little quick from here. Along the valley or over the hills? Hill route's shorter. Yeah, and I think that's the one they'll take. No matter which way they go, they'll have to cross the smoky river over this bridge or over this one here. In both places, the banks are too high for fording. But I don't savvy. Once they find out which route Morton's taken, the boys are to ride ahead and blow up that bridge. By the time Morton finds a way of getting across the river, it'll be too late to make good on his contract. And that'll finish him. Out on the road, Red Ellis set a fast pace for the wagon train. Riding ahead himself to make sure the road was safe, while Dan Morton rode in the lead wagon with his top driver. Sure been covering ground today, Dad. Kind of in a hurry, aren't you? Well, this is an important load, Slim. The sooner we get it delivered, the better. Besides, that inland outfit is taking a powerful dislike to us. The faster we move, the more likely we are to catch them off balance. So we're likely to run into trouble this trip, huh? I don't know. But we're going to be ready for it if it does come. You almost had some last night. Yeah? The boys were figuring on one last gleam in town before we hit the trail. There'd be plenty of noise when I had to call them in. Three of the boys wouldn't come at all. So I had to hire new hens to fill in for them. New hens? Yeah. Oh, they're expert mule skimmies, if that's what's wearing it. Oh, it isn't. Where'd you put them? Towards the back. Why? Just keep an eye on them, that's all. Sure, if you say so. They look like good boys to me, though. That's not the point. With Hobart on the warpath, I just don't like to have anyone around I haven't seen before. You figure they might be spies? Could be. Yeah, I haven't thought that. Wait a minute. Yeah, there. See that parrot up ahead? Sure. We'll stop there for the night. But we always stop beside the river, two miles further. That's why we're stopping here for the night. Oh, boy. Get up. Get up. Pulling behind, Slim, boys. Stopping here for the night. Get up. Oh, get up. Quickly, the wagons were drawn into a tight circle. The mules unhit, fed and watered, and a chuck wagon was set up for making the evening meal as Red Ellis made the rounds. Oh, I said, look. You can't expect me to live on me. Oh, Slim. Oh, yeah, Red. You'll be doing guard duty for half the night. Get your helper to take the other hand. Right, Red. Come on. Get up. Get up. Get up. All right, Easton. Everything all right, Red? Yeah, hi. I just wanted to tell you you're doing guard duty tonight. Split the night with your helper. Come on. Get up. Sure thing, Red. Get up. Oh, boy. Easy. Make sure that chase is real tight tomorrow. We don't want no food. Ferg. Yeah? Guard duty tonight. You and your helper. Right. Come on. Get up. Get up. Red slept peacefully that night, certain that his fast pace and the open location he had chosen would forestall any attack on the wagon train. He was up at daybreak, rousing his men to push on. All right, you mule skitters. All right. Roll out of them blankets and get hitched up. We got work to do. What's the rush? Hey, it's early now. All right, son. Get up. While the men broke camp, two horsemen moved leisurely along a ridge a short distance to the west. The Lone Ranger and Tonto let their horses have their heads as they enjoyed the brisk coolness of the morning air. Soon, however, the quiet was broken by raucous shouts. Much noise and rogues, Kimasabi. Yes. Sounds as if there's a large wagon train down there. Ah. Tell her in town, say, new outfit broke plenty quick. It takes work from Hobart crowd. New outfit? Yes. You didn't mention it, Tonto. Tonto, in and freight's the only outfit I know of, except Dan Morton's free wagon line. Dan Morton got plenty wagging now. Oh, that's good news. Let's go down and see what sort of outfit he's gotten together. Come on, Silver. Come on, come on. The Lone Ranger and Tonto rode down the ridge and stopped on a ledge overlooking the road to watch the long wagon train approach. Dan Morton must be doing first-rate to have expanded like that. Must be about 50 wagons in that train he has. Ah. Meek lad. Yes. Heard that he's a hard worker and a good boss. About time Steve Hobart had some competition. Hey, Dad, look! Nice man up on the ledge. No need to. We've been seen. Nice man up on the ledge. Hobart's fine. Hey, boys! The line's seen his hand on it! Better get out of here fast. Come on, Silver. Get him up, Scout. Keep him the shoulder of these rocks. There's no danger now. No, I don't think he'll follow us. Easy boy. Straight down. Easy. Easy. Be not sad if my fellow shoot. Perhaps they were expecting trouble from Hobart's men. They wouldn't have made such a fuss over a road agent. One fellow say you, Hobart's fine. Yes, I heard that. There must be more to this than we realize. Morton and his men wouldn't have been so quick to shoot if they hadn't expected some real danger. You think Hobart would make trouble? Hobart has forced other men out of business. He's after, Morton. There's bound to be trouble ahead. You help, Morton? If he needs help, we'll give it. We're right ahead of the wagon train. If Hobart has planned anything, we'll find it first. Come to the left. Come to the left. The lone ranger and Toto turned their horses upward toward the crest which paralleled the road and rode along a wooded path, checking the terrain as they went. Then as they approached the Smoky River, the masked men suddenly reined up. Hold on, hold on. Hold on, fella. Hold on. Why are you stopped, Kimasabi? Look at those men down there at the bridge. Oh. Then work on bridge. Work on bridge. For what? The bridge was finished months ago. Oh. What's them do? We'll find out. Well, it's a long way down the bridge. They're cut straight down the hill. Come on, Silver. Easy, boy. Come on. Come on, Del. The two great horses slid and scrambled down the almost vertical hillside. Time after time, the treacherous earth threatened disaster. But each time, the sure-footed animals recovered their footing with the agility of mountain goats. Then they reached the safety of the road and galloped toward the bridge. Well, they're not big now. They put something in the hole. Oh, those bags. It looks like blasting powder. He's going to blow up the bridge. Come on, Silver. Let's count. Now look out. He's followed us. Ah, let me see him. Take care of him, Tutto. I'm going to try to save the bridge. Ah, make it look out. Come on, Silver. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger story. Before the next exciting scene, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. The blasting powder had reduced the bridge to a heap of rubble. The concussion stunned the masked man momentarily, but he quickly recovered. His first thought was for his horse, Silver. But fortunately, the magnificent animal hadn't been touched. Lone Ranger dismounted and ran toward the dynamiter who was crawling out of his place of shelter in the side of the hill. Are you all right? What? You almost got me killed coming after me that way. Stop that gun or I'll break your arm. That's better. What do you want? I saw you blow up that bridge. Why did you do it? What's it to you? Would you rather tell your reasons to the sheriff? Well, that's a good one. You're talking about turning me over to the sheriff. I don't know what your game is, but for a masked outlaw, you're talking mighty big. Get moving. Where? I'm going to Little Creek. What kind of bluff are you trying to pull? Where's your horse? It must be an outlaw. Oh, there it is. Kind of that tree. Walk your head out of me and keep your hands high. No, no. Now, wait a minute. Maybe we can talk this over. Who are you? Len Polk. Len Polk, huh? You're the one who shot a deputy after robbing a stage. The sheriff in Little Creek would be glad to see you. Keep walking. Now, look, miss. I'll talk. I'll tell you everything I know, but don't take me back to Little Creek. I'm listening. Is it a deal? First, I'll hear what you have to say. Steve Hobart sent me to blow up that bridge. Go on. It's a jerk water outfit in Blue Falls Hall and a big load of machinery at Little Creek. They're cutting in on Hobart's territory. They don't deliver on time. They go bust. Hobart's got no more competition. I see. But how will Hobart get his wagons through with this bridge blunt? Hobart's got that covered. He knows of a shallow place about a mile south of here. It's easy forging. And there's a lowland route. Takes longer to get through that way. Who'd you look at? Just a gun slick I picked up. He don't count. Does Hobart know him? No. Oh, they were bothered with a small fry. As far as I'm concerned, you are small fry. I want your boss. And you're going to help me to get him. How can I help him? I'm going with you as your partner. I'll see Masabi. Everything all right, Tonto? Well, does this fellow not want to come right away? Hey, help him. Hey, let's go. Good work, Tonto. What do we do now? I'm going to disguise myself as a man you captured. And I'm going to Steve Hobart's office with this fellow. Little man, bad business to Masabi. No trust him. I'm not trusting him, Tonto. When Hobart finds out that his plan of his has failed, he'll try something else. He must find out what it is. And what do you do with this fellow? First, I want you to meet Morton's wagon train and show him the fort across the river about a mile south of where the bridge was. And take this man to the sheriff of Little Creek. I'll meet you in camp later. Oh, let me do it. Watch him while I put on this disguise. First, the Lone Ranger stepped behind a clump of bushes beside the road and in a few minutes emerged without his mask but well disguised. Then he and his new partner rode off. Get up there. Come through there. A long, hard ride brought the Lone Ranger and Len Polk into Little Creek that evening. They waited until dark so that Len wouldn't be recognized and then went into Steve Hobart's office. Remember what I told you? We're not alone anymore, Missy. There's plenty of Hobart's men around this year. The Lone Ranger hidden in my pocket was aimed right at your heart. Just don't make a wrong move. All right, all right. Don't get sore. Morning, boys. Sure, Steve. Pull up a chair. Thanks. This the man you were telling me about? Yeah. We used to ride together. I got him to come along with lookout for me. Slim Perkins, Steve Hobart. Howdy. Howdy. Well, how'd you make out? Run into some tough luck, Steve. You blew the bridge, didn't you? Oh, yeah, sure. Right afterward, a masked man the Indian jumped us. We falavid for a few minutes and then they let us go. Now, what'd you tell them? I didn't have to tell them anything. They seemed to know all about it. I guess they was coming to stop us and got there too late. Oh, here. The masked man told me to give you this. Let me see that. Hey, Bob. Come here. Yes, Steve? The masked man gave you this silver bullet to Len here to bring back to me. Silver bullet? There's only one man I ever heard of who used a silver bullet for a corn cart, Steve. That's the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger? Yes. Why? Nothing. I was just wondering who he was. I tell you, Steve, if he's in on this, I'm all for getting out. Lone Ranger's dangerous. I tell you, there's no man in these parts big enough to tell Steve Hobart what to do. I'll do things my way. Lone Ranger, no. Where are you, Len? Morton turned back? No, Steve. We waited around to see. We found a shallow place in the creek in less than an hour. They started crossing. We beat it. He came right here. How'd they find it so fast? Search me. Well, no matter. This time I'll fix them for Keats. Is there anything I... Is there anything we can do, Steve? Oh, quiet. Bob, how many wagons we got at the stage house out of here? About 20. Why? Good. I want to use about five. Get some drivers and get down and pick up those wagons. Ho, ho, ho. Now, this is the place I was talking about. If we can't stop them here, we'll never get them at all. What's your plan, Steve? Got those wagons down here, like you said. What do you want to do with them? We're only one day out of Little Creek. When Morton gets this far, it's likely he and Red Ellis won't be quite as careful. Besides, when you're climbing hills like these and going down narrow roads on the other side, you're going to concentrate on your driving, aren't you? We sure are, especially on that hill there. Mm-hmm. That's the way I feel. Now, on that hill that you pointed out, do you say the road is wide enough for two wagons to pass? You know right well it's just barely wide enough. The outside wagon going down the hill comes off across the edge. With that sheer drop to the valley, it... Say, I'm beginning to see a plan. There's nothing to it. But all we have to do is line our empty wagons up on the road halfway up the hill. And if you're not too careful, those wagons will stick out over the center of the road further than they should. Now, wait a minute. Red Ellis is no fool. When he starts down that hill, he'll see what we did. Stop his wagons and move ours out of the way. He's order that. Mm-hmm. But suppose he can't stop. That's a mighty steep hill. Takes good breaks. Brakes that haven't been greased. Oh, those three fellas you planted. I knew Morton would have trouble with his drivers if he tried to start early, so I had some of our boys there to fill in. Boys on my payroll as well as his. That was mighty smart thinking. That's why Inland is the only big freight and outfit around here. It will be as soon as Morton has his accident. I get busy and set those wagons into place. Right, Steve. Make sure the men set the brakes good. Have them bring the horses down here. May lose a couple of wagons, but there's no sense in losing horses. We'll need them to pick up that machinery after the, uh, after the accident. In a short time, the trap was set, and the men and horses sent out of sight by the road curved into the flatland at the bottom of the hill. Hobart and his right-hand man remained at the bottom where they could watch what happened and gloat over Dan Morton's impending trouble. They hadn't long to wait. They could hear the shouts of the drivers as they urged their weary animals up the steep hill. Get up there, you long-lead son to sit. Get up. Well, I'm sure glad this is the last of these hills. We could have made it earlier if it hadn't been for Hobart, Miss Trich. There ought to be some way of making him pay for all the stuff he's pulled. Oh, he's too tricky to leave himself open. Besides, we can hurt him a lot more by getting this load through. I think I'll send him a special invitation to come over and watch us unload. And will that be the day? Get up there. Can't you see the top of the hill is right ahead of you? Get moving. Now, look. Them hules are doing the right good job. You're so impatient, you can get out in foot. All right, Slim, you're the driver. I guess I can wait. Not as much else you can do. Get up there. Well, we'll finally get to the top. A little more and we'll be over. Don't expect any fancy speeding downhill either. All right, all right. Get up there. Come on, Lord. Well, it's clear sailing from here on in. Hey, slow down, Slim. Oh, what's the matter? There's a wagon train coming up. Wait a minute. Something funny about this. Those wagons are just standing there. Where are the horses? Now, if you hear me, Slim, I said slow down. I'm trying to. The brakes don't seem to hold. Here, let me help you. There's something gone wrong with them. Pull in the mule. I can't do it. We're moving too fast. We're too heavily loaded. I'm going to try to steer through. You can't do it. Those wagons are too far out into the road. We'll never get past them. What do we do? Head straight from the inside of that lead wagon. But we'll crash. That's better than going over the cliff. Now, do as I say. Head right into us. Hey, Slim, my brakes won't hold. Something's gone wrong with us. Head right into us. Do you hear? Right into us. If you try to clear, you'll go over the cliff. All right, Dan. We better jump. You can if you want to. I'm standing right here. At the foot of the hill, Steve Hobart smiled as the first wagon came over the crest of the hill. Well, there they are. Just like I planned. You should have let me put more than three wagons on the hill, Steve. Oh, that's plenty. Don't want to wreck the whole shipment. Just the first couple of wagons. Why them? Because Dan Morton's bound to be on that lead wagon, you fool. Trying to put on the brakes now. Boy, would I like to see their faces. Who's that coming? Didn't I tell you to have the men stay out of sight? I told them. Maybe something important. Hell, it better be. I'll recognize those horses. Hey, rain up there. Where are you going? Come back here. Steve, that mask. Come back or I'll shoot. Steve, that's the lone ranger in that Indian. They're riding right up to our wagon. What are those crazy fools trying to do? Our wagons are starting to roll. They must release the brakes. There they go over the cliff. Well, that's it, Steve. Our wagons went over the cliff, not Morton's. I'm not licked yet. We can't get Morton any other way. We can shoot him down. Get the men. Are you crazy? He's got over a hundred men in that outfit. We only brought 30. Be a slaughter. Get the men, I said. We're going to fight it out. Don't move. Get out of here. Why, you... No! Go, go, go. Go, go. Wait a minute. No. If there's any score to settle, it's between Hobart and me. I'll handle this. Sorry, Morton. That's the sheriff's business. He'll be here as soon as he's finished rounding up Hobart's men. The sheriff? That's what held us up, Morton. The sheriff's a hard man to convince. Well, we can give him plenty of evidence if he needs any more. You sure stuck your neck out for us, stranger. I sure want to thank you. Being justice done is thanks enough for me. Good luck to you. Once in there. Now, wait a minute. I don't even know who you are. Now, don't that be all. Saves my life and I don't even know what his name is. Oh, blast his hide. He's the Lone Ranger. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
